Thursday, January 6, 2011

In Case You Missed It

2010 was one for the books - the design books, that is. From logos, to advertising ploys, to TV networks, there was a lot to keep up with last year! Just in case you missed anything big, we'll provide you a nice, neat compilation of the year's biggest stories in design right here. Know a story that you think was bigger? Share it in our comments!

1. Goodbye, Cable!This one was a long time coming. With options like Hulu, Netflix and other full episode players available online for instant television show and movie streaming, we all wondered when we'd see the end of cable's reign. In 2010, for the first time ever, cable saw a decrease in the number of subscribers. With online video watching numbers soaring, it is difficult to measure exactly where each of those subscribers went, but it is quite clear that the answer was not to a TV.

2. Refresh Your AdvertisingSuper Bowl Sunday - an exciting, anxiously-awaited day for football fans and marketing gurus alike. As one of the most-watched annual television events, advertising spots during commercial rates come at a premium, and thus are only paid for by those companies that can afford it. Advertisers bring out their best and brightest for collaboration on these spots, but this year, there was one exception. PepsiCo decided to refrain from advertising at the Super Bowl in 2010. In a project called Pepsi Refresh, Pepsi chose to launch a campaign meant to support community-building projects. Refresh helped Pepsi to gain more shelf space at local stores, but so far evidence towards a sales increase is lacking.

3. Logo LetdownDo you have any emotional attachment to your favorite brand's logo? If your answer is no, you may want to double check your thoughts. Apparently, some people do get quite attached to logos... even logos not of their favorite brands. At least, that seems to be what the verdict is after Gap changed their logo. Gap fans and haters alike were in outrage - their logo, in fact, was so harshly accepted that it disappeared within a few days. Next time you consider changing your logo, consider the consequences!

4. Are You With Coco?If you are, you are one of 4.2 million - which is how many people tuned in to Conan O'Brien's first TBS late-night talk show. At least he ended his deal with NBC on a positive note... kind of? Actually, Conan was quite resentful towards NBC, and responded by hosting wildly expensive episodes until the end of his reign. Meanwhile, he created quite the brand for himself between the two stations. We're interested to keep track of how the TBS show will keep the audience interested.